What is fitness?

The term ‘fitness’ refers to the ability to perform daily tasks without putting undue stress on the body. There are many different categories which fall under the concept of fitness. Some of these include the following:

  • Core
  • Flexibility fitness
  • Cardiovascular fitness
  • Muscular fitness

What does the F.I.T.T principle stand for?

The FITT Principle (or formula, as it is sometimes called by personal trainers) is a great way of monitoring your exercise programme properly. The acronym FITT outlines the fundamental components, or training guidelines, for an effective exercise programme.

The letters F, I, T, T, stand for the following terms: 

  • Frequency, 
  • Intensity, 
  • Time and 
  • Type.

The following F.I.T.T. principles can be used for, and applied to, all concepts of fitness.

Frequency

The term ‘frequency’ is referring to the number of instances per week that you perform cardiovascular exercise. To improve cardiovascular fitness levels, a minimum of three days is recommended. Other experts in the fitness industry recommend between three and five days per week.

When you start a cardiovascular fitness programme for the first time perform group exercises or other physical activities such as brisk walking at least every other day with two days in a row thrown in during the week.

For some people, it may be of benefit to exercise every day and for some people doing two cardiovascular exercises, a day may be of benefit. Remember that you should not try to overdo it too soon, but you should progress slowly as well as efficiently.

Intensity

The intensity level is a very important part of any exercise programme. Exercising at the correct levels can make a big difference in the effectiveness of a workout programme.

The term ‘intensity’ can be defined as speed or workload of an activity. Many people, such as walkers, do not exercise as the correct intensity level for cardiovascular and fat-burning enhancement.

On the other hand, some people can actually exercise at too high an intensity level. Exercising at a high-intensity level will increase an individual’s heart rate.

Time

‘Time’ refers to the duration of an exercise session or the length of time it takes to complete an exercise, for many, the duration of an exercise depends upon the intensity of said exercise. In general, cardiovascular exercise should last a minimum of 20 minutes with the best results coming after a longer period of time.

A person can achieve good cardiovascular fitness and burn the optimal amount of body fat at between 20 and 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. People who are just beginning a programme should start slowly and progress over time.

A person rarely exercises should start at between 10 and 12 minutes including a five-minute warm-up and increase this by about two minutes per week until they are above 20 minutes. The key is to spend some time doing a bit of cardiovascular activity every day if possible.

Type

This refers to the kind of exercise that you should choose in order to achieve the response that you want from you workout plan.

Keeping up a good degree of physical fitness is something that we should all aspire to do. However, unfortunately, it can be difficult to determine what the concept of fitness entails. This is because, in general, fitness means various things to different people. What is important is the message is that embarking on any regular physical exercise will be of value to your health. The more exercise that is performed, the healthier you will look and feel.

If you are confused or unsure about how to perform your fitness routine properly it is essential that you consult a trained and qualified personal trainer to show you the ropes.